Stop motion for knitting machines



1954 J. WACHSMAN ET AL 2,669,105

STOP MOTION FOR KNITTING MACHINES Fild Feb. 17, 1953 I- 52 4 4 I 4 l) m 37 l l I i [6 v v I ya/ 77 4 IN VEN TORS JACOB -WACHSMAN DA VH7 WAG HSM Patented Feb. 16, 1954 2,669,105 s'ror MOTION-FOR KNITTING MACHINES Jacob watchman sna David weohsm uimxlyn, N. Etna-id Jacob Wachsman assignor to David Wachsman dpplleationlebruarfl't, 195s, senai'noiss'zsis Thiszinvention relates to impr'ovements'in stop motions rorknitting machines of the type disclosed in the U. :S. FatentNo. 2,388, 1'84' January 30, 1945. In improving the :stop motion disclosed in the patentthe objector the invention is to provide a more eflicient compact mechanism 16111- bodying certain details or improved construction and design whereby the operation of a stop motion of this type becomes more certain, produces less wear and eliminates certain-"defects in the prior disclosure. The-advantages 'and features of the invention will be readily understood from the following specificationread together with the accompanying drawing inwhich .Flg. i1 is :a front view of "the stop motion with parts removed and parts broken away.

Fig. 2 isa similar view with'the parts in position when the mechanism has been operated.

Fig '3 is a sectional view onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with parts'omitted.

Fig '4 is a sectionalview'on thelline 4--4 of Fig. I withparts omitted.

Fig. 5 is .a diagram illustrating the operation of the device.

Referring *firstto Figure 5 the "numeral itindicates conventionally the stop handled a knitting machine drive. When the handle is swung on its .pivot, the driving mechanism, not is operated to stop the machine, the operation being similar to that of a belt shifting mechanisin. The operation of the stop handle is controlled by a travelling thread. The control mechanism is in the form of a switch in which a movable member H is supported on the thread I2 which travels over guides 13. When the thread breaks or runs out the member I I drops and contacts a fixed member I4 to close a normally open electric circuit. The member I4 is grounded. The movable member II which sometimes is called an end detector or knot detector is connected to a battery [5, an electromagnet l6 and a contact spring I1. The latter is normally grounded by contact with a movable plunger 18 which actuates the handle Ill. The magnet has a pivoted armature l9 which is attracted when the magnet is energized by the closure of the electric circuit. This occurs when the thread l2 fails to keep the switch Il-l4 open. Normally the plunger is prevented from operating the stop handle by means of a stop lever, not shown in Fig. 5 but which will be explained later. The stop lever in turn is held in position to prevent release of the plunger by the unattracted armature. When the circuit is closed the armature is attracted, the stop lever is operated so that it no 1 claim. (01. skies) longer prevents the operation :of the plunger.

The latter is then operated and in turn :ectustes the stop "handle to stop "the machine.

Referring now to Figs. 14 the improved stop: mechanism is supported within a box 26 which is secured to the knitting machine with-the plunger is in position to 'engage "the nial'zhine stop handle as" will be understood. Then-ox a cover "21. The magnet 16 is suitably-supportedin the box as shown. One end o't thein'agnc't wiring is connected to a fixed terminal 28 orattaching the wire from the'battcry f5. Theothjer end of the magnet wiring is connected to the spring H for grounding the circuit on "the machine.

The plunger I 8 is slidably mounted in the 'si des of the boxand a'blockcs is secured to the plunger asby cheer-more screws ea. .A guiding shaft t l is secured in the box by a pin 32 and passes through the block "29. Thus the block and the plunger are securely guided in the box and the block cannot turn on the plunger and become jammed in its'movements. This is a decided am vantage and a feature of the improved mechanism. v

"The block is formed with a contact nose {33- which normally engages the spring 11. On the opposite side the block 29' has a finger 34 witha hook 35, Fi'g. -'adapted to engage a stoplever 35'.- The latter is pivoted at 31in a cutout portion 3% the block 29 is shaped to engage the recess.

In the normal position of the parts as in Fig. 1 the plunger I8 with the block 29 is pushed by the operator into the position shown and as the block finger 34 moves in over the stop lever 35. the hook 35 finally drops into the recess 42 so that the stop lever is lifted and lies in a position parallel to the plunger l8. This is seen in Fig. 4 where only the end of the stop lever appears as a consequence of this movement. A spring 44 acting against the lower edge of the stop lever insures constant operative contact between the lever and the block finger 34, as seen in Fig. 3. As the hooked block finger moves into its normal position, the spring 44 exerts a lifting pressure upon the lever and thus insures that the recess in the lever will be positioned to receive the hook 35 and the lever reaches its final normal upper position.

A plunger spring 45 is placed on the plunger l8 and the spring constantly tends to push the This may be done by merely exchanging the positions of the plunger l8 with that of the guide shaft 3|. The latter and the plunger are therefore interchangeably mounted in the box. This upon the armature stop 39, the stop lever cannot move about its pivot 31.

The operation is as follows: Figs. land 4 show the parts in their normal positions. The stop lever is under constant pressure by the spring pressed finger 34, the hook seeking to jump out of or away from the recess. The armature stop 39, Figs. 1 and 3, prevents such movements.

When the circuit is closed the armature stop is withdrawn from the stop lever as the armature is attracted by the magnet l6. The stop lever therefore no longer resists the pressure of the spring which thereupon moves the plunger into position to stop the machine. Resetting the plunger puts the parts back into normal positions, the stop lever being lifted by the sliding movement of the block finger until the hook again engages the recess andthe armature stop is moved in under the stop lever by the armature spring 4|. When the circuit is closed the stop lever is released from the armature stop and the plunger is violently moved outward.

- The armature stop 39 may also be moved out from under the stop lever by a pin 58 adapted to be depressed by a pivoted lever which is connected as at 53 with the take-up mechanism of the knitting machine. This mechanism is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5 by the usual take-up guiding rolls 54 which guide the fabric 55 as it comes from the knitting machine, not shown. When for any reason the knitting mechanism of the machine fails in its normal operations, the take-up device will fall down so that the lever 52 will move down also and depress the pin 50. Thus the armature stop will be moved away from under the stop lever and the stop motion will be operated the same as when the circuit is closed.

Depending upon the make of the knitting machine, it may be desirable to position the plunger I8 closer to one side of the box than as shown.

is an important advantage in the actual fitting of the stop mechanism to a particular make of knitting machine.

It is also important that the device as a whole be as simple and compact as possible and that all movable elements are under control. The certain straight movement of the plunger l8 and the block, guided as it is by the shaft 3|, insures that no part of themechanism becomes jammed or out of control.

' We claim:

In a stop motion for knitting machines which include a stop handle and an electric circuit with a' normally open switch controlled by a travelling I thread, said stop motion comprising a box, a

plunger slidably supported therein, a spring on said plunger for moving the same to actuate the said handle to stop the knitting machine, means for guiding said plunger in its movements within the box comprising a fixed guide shaft therein in parallel relation to said plunger, a block member secured to the plunger and sliding upon the said guide shaft, 2. pivoted stop lever in said box,

means on said stop lever engaging said block member to hold said plunger immovable against the action of the said plunger spring, a projecting armature stop engaging said stop lever to hold the same in operative engagement with said plunger, a stop lever spring in said box engaging said stop lever to hold the same in operative contact with said block member during the movements of said plunger, an electromagnet in said circuit for oper- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Vossen June 2, 1942 Number 

